Classical music is one of the perfect sources of music for film. There is a limitless supply. It is in the public domain so you can record it and own it outright. And, most importantly, it’s just great music. Even though I’ve been listening to it for over two decades, I am always finding some new composer to explore. Recently, I started digging deeper into the works of Franz Joseph Haydn, one of the three great Viennese classical composers (along with Mozart and Beethoven) from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His music is a pure delight to listen to; imagine every happy and beautiful emotion you can, and that’s Haydn.
He wrote 108 symphonies, 83 string quartets, 126 trios, and countless other works during his long lifetime. Although his output far surpassed that of his two better known contemporaries, there are far less recordings of his works today, some considering him not quite their equal. Being rather familiar with Beethoven and Mozart, I don’t believe that’s an accurate estimation. In some ways, Haydn is far more consistently creative and inventive, his symphonies having such personal characteristics that they received names like “The Hen,” “The Bear,” “Surprise,” and “The Miracle” in his own lifetime. When I listen to Haydn, I’m reminded of Monty Python’s “And now for something completely different.” He can be solemn, joyful, pensive, exuberant – and that’s all in the same movement.
Since getting a good recording is the first step to appreciating Haydn’s music, here are some places to start. (As an aside, there are two options for listening to Haydn: modern instruments and period instruments. Personally, I prefer the modern instruments with Haydn, although there are some wonderful period recordings, too.)
12 London Symphonies : Eugen Jochum and the London Philharmonic – these are his final 12 symphonies when he was at the height of his powers, each one unique and marvelous in its own way.
11 Piano Sonatas : Alfred Brendel – Brendel is one of my favorite pianists; he is a master of the classical period and these Phillips recordings show why.
Complete Piano Trios : Beaux Arts Trio – Although there are some great period performances to compare these with, the Beaux recording is a standard in the field.
27 String Quartets : Amadeus Quartet – Again, a standard in the field. Haydn invented the modern string quartet, and these recordings are a masterful representation.
I would encourage you to go out and buy some Haydn today. The 12 London Symphonies are a great place to start. If you’re buying from Amazon, it’s usually less expensive to buy from another seller; just click on the 12 new (or whatever number it is) underneath the main price. You can also purchase them on iTunes or some other kind of digital download, but it’s really a shame to buy classical music that way: the recordings are lower quality, and, in some cases, actually more expensive. I always recommend buying CD’s when buying classical music. You can just import them into your computer at 320kbps or higher (lossless is even better), then you’ll have a better sounding digital recording as well as a CD for your car or home stereo.
